Knitting-machine.



W. RICHTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED M345, 1911.

1 127,283, Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

8 SHBETSSHEET 1.

& 7 mlvaivro WITNESSES\ j v a ATTORNEY W. RICHTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15. 1911.

mz'zggsa,

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

42% r- ATTORNEY WITNESSES W. RICHTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.15.191L

1,127,283. Patented Feb. 2, 1915'.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES WOLFGANG RICHTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-KNITTING-MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed February 15, 1911. Serial No. 608,836.

. To all whom it may concern: W

Be it known that I, VOLFGANG RICHTER, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing in the city and county of Phlladelphia, in the Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inKnitting-Machines, of which the following is a true and exactdescription,-

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof.

My present invention relates to flat knitting machines such as areemployed in making full fashioned Hosiery and consists in novel featuresfor transferring the loops caught on the welt hooks or needles to themain knitting needles in the operation of forming a welt on the fabricknitted.

The invention comprises certain features of construction and arrangementof the knitting machine parts, all devised for the.

purpose of making the loop transferring portion of the welt formingoperation semiautomatic, whereas, in practice, this portion of the weltforming operation has heretofore been carried out manually.

With the use of my invention, the loop transfer operation can beperformed in a small fraction of the time heretofore required for doingthis work, and with a substantial decrease in labor cost, and with asubstantial increase in the effective output of the knitting machine towhich it is applied. Moreover, the breakage of needles occurring in ordue to the welt forming operation is decreased with my invention, andthe quality of the product is improved.

An important advantage characterizing my present invention is that theinvention may be readily embodied in existing machines at acomparativelysmall cost.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention.however, and the advantages possessed by it. reference should be had tothe accom panying drawings and descriptive matter, in which I haveillustrated apparatus embodying the invention. v

Of the drawings, 'Figure 1 is an end ele vation of a knitting machineembodying one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side ele vat-ion of aportion of the machine shown in Fig. 1. with parts broken away andremoved. Fig. 3 is an elevation taken similarly to Fig. 2 but on alarger scale and showing a portion only of the apparatus shown in Fig.2. Fig. l is a transverse sectional elevation of the apparatus shown inFig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are views taken similarly to Fig. 4 but eachshowing a portion only of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4: and eachshowing parts in positions different from those occupied by the sameparts in the other figures and in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an elevation of oneform of my improved welt needle. Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line88 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10is a view taken similarly to Fig. I, but showing a modified welt needleconstruction.

The knitting machine shown is, in its general organization andconstruction of a type well known and in common use for knitting flatstocking leg blanks. On this account I shall refer herein specificallyonly to such old parts of the mechanism shown as will facilitate anunderstanding of the invention claimed herein.

. In the form shown the frame work of the machine comprises a number ofstandards A, in which are mounted shafts 1 to 11 inclusive;.some ofthese are journaled for rotatable movement in the standards A whileothers are rigidly secured to the standards Aand serve simpl as parts ofthe stationary framework 0 the machine. Between each two adjacentstandards A are mounted two sets of needles B, and the cooperating partspertaining exclusively to them, and itwill be understood that eachmachine is capable of simultaneously knitting as many fabric-pieces asthere are sets of needles B. In the machines of this type in common usethe number of sets of needles B per machine is usually eighteen.

In the form shown, the two sets of knitting needles B proper betweeneachtwo adjacent standards A, are secured to a single needle holder or headC by devices including a clamping head C for each set of needles B. Theneedles B are given a rising and falling movement and a movement towardand away from the stationary presser head L of the machine byconnections between each needle supportC and the shafts 2 and 3, and theshafts 2 and 3 are given determined osillatory movements by cams carriedby the main cam shaft 5 of the machine. The connection between eachneedle holder (and the rock shaft2 comprises an arm C rigidly connectedat its upper end to the support G and pivotally connected at its lowerend to a lever D The latter has a handle D by means of which the lever Dcan be hooked over or disengaged from a pin D carried by an arm-Dsecured to the rock shaft 2. To oscillate the shaft 2, one or more armsD rigidly secured to it, are provided. In the construction illustratedthe one arm D shown is in the form of an extension of one of the arms Dand carries at its lower end a cam roll D normally bearing against theperiphery of the cam Z secured to the main cam shaft 5. The shaft 2through the connections described operates to give the needle heads Ctheir movement toward" and away from the presser head L. The rising andfalling movement 'ofeach head'C is given by theshaft 3throughconnections comprising an arm E secured to the shaft 3, andpivotally connected at E to brackets E rigidly connected to the heads 0.The shaft 3 is oscillated by one or more arms E, each carrying at itslower end a roll E engaging the periphery of a corresponding cam Zcarried by the shaft 5. In practice, it will be under:

hold the rolls E and D against the corresponding cams. It will beunderstood also that the number of arms E and D employed will depend onthe length of the machine. The usual number of arms of each kind rangingfrom two to seven.

In the form shown the machine comprises a narrowing mechanism includingarms F mounted on the standard carried shaft 11 and connectedat theirupper ends by a shaft 12. Brackets F" mounted on the shaft 12 at itsends are connected to a linkage mechanism bywhich the arms F shaft 12,and pa'ts connected thereto may be oscillated aboutt e shaft 11 as anaxis. a bar F at each end of the machine and each connected at its upperend to a corresponding bracket F and pivotally connected at its lowerend to a corresponding arm G through a shaft 14. Thearms G are pivotallymounted on the standard carried pintles G Between its ends each armGcarries a roll, G which normally rides on the periphery of a disk Z butin the narrowing operation is caused to engage the periphery of a cam ZThe shaft 14 has secured to it an arm F by means of which the shaft 12and parts connected to it may be raised from time to time as desired bythe attendant.-

This is accomplished by means of a wiper arm H secured to the rock shaft10 and engaging the arm F an arm H secured to the rock shaft 10; a linkH connected at one end to the end of the arm H and a-lever H to which.the other end of the link is connected. The lever H is journaled on theThis linkage comprises shaft 6 and is provided with a treadle-likeextension H by means of which the attendant may oscillate the shaft andthereby, through the connections described, swing the shaft 12 about theshaft 11.

H represents a latch lever by means of which the treadle H, whendepressed, may be locked down until it is desired to release it.

Adjacent each set of needles B are provided slideways A for thecorresponding welt needle carrier I.

J represents tension members of which there is one for each set. ofneedles, each adapted to be connected to the corresponding piece offabric knitted, as by hooking it into a hook I carried by thecorresponding welt needle carrier I in the initial stage of theformation of the fabric piece and by connecting it to the-fabric in someother usual way, in subsequent'stages of the knitting operationr- Eachtension device J in the form shown is connected to a disk J, mounted onthe shaft 80 journaled in the frame standards A, and the usualprovisions, not shown, are made for causing the disk J to exert theproper pull on the members J to put the fabric being knitted under theproper tension.

The presser head L is provided with the usual knocking over bits M andsinkers N and dividers 0. These are in the form of flat pieces of steel,which are arranged to provide channels or spaces through which theneedles pass each needle B passing between a corresponding pair ofknocking over bits M and between one sinker N and one divider O, thesinkers and dividers being alternately disposed. The knocking over bitsare stationary while the sinkers and dividers are movable in the head Lsuitable mechanism, not shown, being provided for giving them theirproperly timed reciprocating movements.

In so far as already described, the knitting machine parts referred to,standing by them :elves, embody no part of the present inven- The weltneedles K, of whichthere is a set mounted in each carrier I. differ inconstruction from those heretofore known. The needles K, see Figs. 7 to9 inclusive, are spring beard needles, each having the usual recess Kformed in the front edge of the needle body to receive the tip of thebeard K The back edge .of a portion K of the body of each needle Kadjacent itshook end s set 111 advance of the back edge of theadacentportion of the needle body. A groove K is formed in the back edgeof the said ad acent body portion. The groove K in the back edge of eachneedle K extends longitudinally of the needle and is open at its endadjacent the needle hook.

In the welt needle K as shown in Figs. 7 to 9 the bottom of the groove Kis in line mamas with the back edge of the portion K of the needle. Themodified form of the welt nee-, dle KA shown in Fig. 10 differs from theform shown in Figs. 7 to 9, in that the portion K of the needle KA isodset so that. the front edge of the portion K is in front of the frontedge of the adjacent body portion of the needle and the back edge of theportion K is in front of the bottom line of the slot K. For reasonshereinafter explained the groove K 'should lie entirely back of the backedge of the portion K of the needle though the bottom line of the slotmay be either back of, or coincident with the back edge of the portion Kas shown in Figs. 10 and 7, respectively. The welt needle disclosed,while novel with me, is not claimed herein. but is claimed in myapplication Serial Xo. 694,905, filed May 3rd, 1912. as a division ofthis case.

The welt needle carriers I, which during the knitting of the weltforming portion of the fabric. rest on the slideways A are held duringthe loop transferring operation each in brackets C secured to the endsof the corresponding clamping heads Q, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 4.For this purpose the brackets C are formed at their upper ends with openended slots C receiving the end extensions 1 of the corresponding weltneedle carrier.

In the operation of forming a welt with the apparatus described. thewelt needles K or KA employed, after their hooks are first entered inthe initial row of loops X formed on the needles B, are acted upon bythe tension producing provisions to stretch and draw taut the fabric Xknitted until sufficient fabric has been knitted to form the weltportion of the article being hiitted. During this stage of the operationthe extensions I of the welt needle carriers rest upon and are drawnalong the slideways A. After the welt forming portion of the fabric hasbeen knitted. each carrier I is manipulated to carry the loops X out ofthe eyes of the needles K or KA and back onto the bodies thereof. Eachcarrier I is then mounted in the brackets C as shown in Figs. 3 and i.the fabric being looped over the rod P. which may rest on the guides Aand be connected to the tension member I or other suitable tension meansafter the loops X are transferred to the needles B.

The manipulation of each holder I, so far described. is manual and inplacing the holder I in the brackets C it is necessary to see that thewelt needles K or KA properly enter the spaces between the sinkers asthe welt needles are inserted between the I sinkers and dividers andbetween the knocking over bits the hook ends of the needles B enter theslots K in the back edges of the welt needles. After the welt needlesare thus put into the loop transferring position the needle carrier. Cis moved substantially as in the ordinary knitting operation with theresult that the welt needles are pressed against the stationary presserhead L and the beards K enter the sockets K and are held there while thecarrier C rises sufficiently to carry the ends of the beards K wellthrough the loops X. The latter are prevented from rising with the weltneedles by the sinkers N. This transfers the loops K (see Fig. 5) fromthe welt needles to the needles B. The upward movement of the holder Ccontinues until the parts are brought into the position shown in Fig. 6.Before the member C has reached the position shown in Fig. 6 it iscaused to move laterally away from the presser head L so that the bodiesof the needles K or KA clear the head L. In the condition of theapparatus shown in Fig. 6, the loops X having been entirely transferredto the main knittingneedles B, the welt needle carriers I may beremoved, either manually or automatically, as by the provisionshereinafter described.

While as I have said the carrier C has substantially the same movementduring the loop transferring operation as in the ordinary knittingoperation the movements of the carrier toward and away from 'the presserhead should preferably be timed a little diderently in the two cases,and in general the movements of the carrier G toward and away from thepresser head should be difierent in extent in the two operations. Togive the carrier C the proper movement during the loop transferringoperation I have provided in the machine shown a cam Z adjacenteach camZ and difiering therefrom in contour as desired to give the propermovement to the carriers C during the loop transferring operation, andduring the loop transferring peration I control each lever D, not by thecam Z but by the cam Z. This is accomplished by the provisions made forshifting the cam roll D at will from the position in which it engagesone of the cams Z and Z. and the position in which it engages the other.The shifting provisions comprise a longitudinal movable shaft D a. handlever D conveniently disposed for shifting the shaft D and a forked orslotted shifter arm D for each caln'roll D having bifurcations whichenter the groove formed in the hub of the corresponding cam en gagingroll D Preferably the stationary presser headL has its needle engagingportion in the form of a rib L as shown best in Figs. 4%., 5 and '6,though this is not absolutely essential. Preferably also, the clampinghead M for the knocking over bits is extended as shown, sothat there isno danger of the points of the beards K of the welt needles engaging thepresser head L.

When the needles B are first entered into the grooves K of the weltneedles the arrangement of the parts is such that the needles areslightly flexed so that the needles B are resiliently held in thegrooves K When subsequently the welt needles are forced against thepresser head L, as shown in Fig. 5, the pressure in practice is, and

must be great enough to still further flex the needles B and toreversely bend the needles K or KA. It is on this account that 1 find itessential, for a successful practical operation, that the bottom lines,of the grooves K? of the welt needles, be either back of or coincidentwith,,but never in front of, the back edges of the hook end por tion Kof the welt needles. If this were otherwise, the very substantialtension under which the needles B are placed at this stage (if theoperation would tend to cause these needles to fulcrum on the hookneedle portions K with the result that some of the needles B would-snapout of the grooves K and jam or wedge in at the sides of thecorresponding welt needles in the spaces between the sinkers anddividers and knocking over bits. This would not only result in a faultytransfer of the loops X but would substantially increase the needlebreakage.

While as 1 have already said the welt needle carriers 1, may beseparately manually removed from the brackets C my invention comprises.PlOVlSlOIlS for simuland in a somewhat, illlllOIllEltlQ taneously,manner, removing all of the carriers 1, thus greatly simplifying andexpediting this operation. In themachine shown I accomplish this bymeans of parts mounted upon the .narrowing mechanism and moved in partto remove the welt needle carriers 1 by the mechanism ordinarily broughtinto movement during the operation of the narrowing mechanism. Theprovisions for this purpose embodied in the machine shown, comprise ashaft 13 mounted in brackets F clamped to the shaft 12, provisions foroscillating the shaft 13, and hook-like devices Q, carried by the shaft13. Preferably I provide resilient means for holding the shaft 13 eitherin the full line position shown in Fig. 4, or in the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 4 and marked Q3 As shown, 1 accomplish this bythe spring R at one or both ends of the shaft connected at one end tothe corresponding bracket F and at the other end to an arm R secured tothe shaft 13. The spring R and its points of connection are so arrangedthat while the spring tends to move the shaft 13 in a counter clockwisedirection when the shaft is in the full line position shown in Fig. 4, avery slight rotation of the shaft 13 in the clockwise direction willthrow the line of action of the spring to the other side of the axis ofthe shaft 13, so that the spring thereafter tends to rotate the shaft inthe clockwise direction into the position in which the arms Q occupy thedotted line position- Q with respect to the brackets F shown in Fig. 4.A handle Q attached to the shaft 13, is provided for the manual rotationof the shaft .13.

shown in Fig. 4. The shaft 13 is then rotated in a clockwise directionto move the arms Q into the position relative to the shaft 13 indicatedby the dotted line position Q of the arms Q in Fig." 4. The springs Rtend to hold the shaft in this position and when the parts are in thisposition the carriers I slide down toward the shaft 13 as illustrated inFig, 4, and are thus conveniently stored untilit is necessary to connectthem into the initially formed row of loops of the subsequent formedpieces of fabric.

1 find it advantageous to mount on the shaft 13 other arms S for use inconnection with the welt forming operation. In the operation of enteringthe loops X of the fabric into the eyes of the welt needles at thebeginning of the Welt forming operation I find that there is a tendencyfor the welt needles to be moved outward (away from the presser head L)from the position shown in Fig. 1, with resultant faults in the fabric.1 To prevent this I so dispose the arms S that they may be brought intoengagement with the rear edges of the lugs 1 formed on the welt needlecarriers in the manner shown in Fig. 1, so that the attendant throughhisgrip on the handle Q, may readily and simultaneously hold all of thewelt carriers in until the first row of loops X are entered in the eyesof the welt needles. I then shift the narrowing mechanism and theshaft.13 to bring the ends of the arms S in front of the lugs 1 as shown indotted lines in Fig. 4, and thesprings R,

the shaft 13 and the arms S then serve as a tension mechanism forholding the fabric being knited taut during the brief period which ittakes the attendant to move along the length of the machine and hook thevarious tension devices into the eyes I of the welt carriers. When thisis done the narrowing mechanism and the shaft 13 are i'ng blanks. duringa period ranging from fifteen to thirty per cent., and averaging perhapstwenty per cent. of the time required for completing the simultaneousknitting of one stocking blank by each set of needles B of the machine.Furthermore, broken needles and fabric faults are frequent incidents ofthe manual manipulation of the welt hooks or needles. lVith my inventionthe time required for the loop transferring operation is verysubstantially redueed. This operation may he performed by comparativelyunskilled attendants and with a great reduction in the amount of needlebreakage and fabric faults occurring in or from the welt formingoperation.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the use of the inventionin a machine of the type illustrated thus increases the ca-.

pacity of the machine, reduces the cost of operation and improves thequality of the output. The invention also makes it feasible to provideeach machine with a greater number of needle beds than has heretoforebeen considered advantageous.

\Vhile in accordance with the provisions of the statute I haveillustrated and de scribed the best form of my invention now known tome, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes,'withinthe scope of the claims, may be made in the form of apparatus disclosedwithoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and that certainfeatures iof the invention claimed may be advantageously employed undercertain circumstances without acorresponding use of other claimedfeatures.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination with a set of main needles, acarrier therefor. a set of welt needles, a holder therefor. provisionsconnected to said carrier for supporting the welt needle holder duringthe loop transfer operation and mechanism adapted to engage said holderand separate it from said provisions at the conclusion 0 the looptransfer operation.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of sets ofmain needles. carriers therefor, a plurality of sets of welt needles,holders therefor, provisions mounted on said carriers for supporting thewelt needle holders during the loop transfer operation, and mechanismadapted to engage said holders and separate them from said provisions atthe conclusion of the loop transfer operation. 8. In a knitting machine,the combination with a plurality of sets of main needles,

carriers therefor, a plurality of sets of welt needles, holderstherefor, provisions mounted on said carriers for supporting the weltneedle holders during the loop transfer operation, and mechanism adaptedto engage said'holders and separate them from said provisions at theconclusion of the loop transfer operation, said mechanism comprisingarms, movable to engage and lift the various holders, and means forsimultaneously moving said arms.

4. In a knitting machine of the kind specified, the combination of a setof main needles, a carrier therefor, a set of welt needles, a holdertherefor, provisions connected to said carrier for supporting saidholder during the loopstransfer operation, and narrowing mechanismcomprising a movable member and means connected thereto adapted, ondetermined movements of said member-and means to move the welt holderout of engagement with said provisions.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination of a .plurality of sets ofmain knitting needles, means for moving them comprising bracketsadjacent to and movable with. each set of needles, a plurality of setsof welt needles, holders, one for each set of welt needles, adapted tobe supported in said brackets during the loop transfer operation, anarrowing mechanism,a shaft supported thereby and movable therewith, andarms connected to said shaft adapted to lift. said holders out of Iengagement with said brackets at the completion of the loop t-ransferoperation.

6. In a knitting machine of the kind specified the combination of aplurality of welt needles, a holder for each set of welt needles, aplurality of sets of mainneedles,

needle holders rest during the welt knitting operation, a movablesupport, arms pivotally connected thereto and means for moving said armsrelative to said support and for moving said support to cause said armsto press said holders in one direction during one portion, and in theopposite direction durlng another portion of the welt forming operation.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of sets ofmain knitting needles, of means for moving them, brackets adjacent toand movable with, each set of.

portion, and away from the needles during another portion of the weltknitting operation, and to lift said'holders out of engagement with saidbrackets at the completion of the loop transferring operation.

9. In a knitting machine of the kind specified, the combination of astationary presser head, a set of spring-beard welt needles havinggrooved backs, a holder therefor, a set of-springbeard main needles, asupport therefor, and provisions carried thereby for supporting saidholder during the loop transfer operation so that the main needles enterthe grooves in the back edges of the welt needles, and mechanism forgiving said main needle support movements with respect to said presserhead comprising two cams and means 'for bringing one of them into use inthe regular knitting operation and the other in the loop transferoperation.

WOLFGANG RICHTER. Witnesses:

ARNOLD KA'rz, D. STEWART.

